The present invention relates, in general, to welding tongs, and more particular to welding tongs which can be used for robot-assisted welding of automobile chassis. The present invention further relates to a welding apparatus for operating welding tongs and to the use of welding tongs for a welding robot.
The arms of welding tongs of this type are typically operated by pneumatic and/or hydraulic cylinders. However, welding tongs of this type, driven and/or operated in this way, suffers shortcomings involving, i.a., poor positionability, undesirable elastic behavior and leakage problems.
Japanese Pat. No. JP 1997-248678 describes a drive for welding tongs using a servomotor. However, only one of the two arms of the tongs is moved by the drive.
It would therefore be desirable and advantageous to provide improved welding tongs which obviate prior art shortcomings and have better properties as far as applied force, positionability as well as the forward feed of the material to be welded are concerned.